Severe storms bring tornado warnings and power outages to Midwest and Ohio Valley
Tornado warnings and damaging winds have affected parts of Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and surrounding states, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity and prompting flash-flood alerts.
A series of severe thunderstorms and flash-flooding moved across the Midwest, Ohio Valley and Northeast, producing heavy rain and strong winds. In Illinois, tornado warnings were issued for areas including Aurora, Joliet, Naperville and downtown Chicago as gusts approached 90-100 mph.
Utility companies reported that nearly 660,000 customers in Ohio, Illinois and Indiana lost power, with the number expected to rise as the storms continued. The FOX Forecast Center warned that the wind-laden system would shift eastward into northern Indiana and southern Michigan within the next hour.
The storm risk level was raised to Level 3 out of 5 for the Ohio Valley and Central Appalachians, where repeated thunderstorms could generate additional flash-flood hazards. Over 6.5 inches of rain fell in some locations within a few hours, and water rescues were reported after a flash-flood emergency in Perry County, Ohio expired early Tuesday.
The same weather pattern that produced 65-mph winds in Maryland and Virginia on Monday, causing outages for more than 185,000 customers, is expected to persist through the week, with a Level 2 flash-flood risk extending across much of the region and a Level 3 risk for a corridor that includes eastern Indiana, southern Ohio, western West Virginia and northern Kentucky. Most areas are forecast to receive 2-3 inches of rain, while a heavier band could bring 3-5 inches, and isolated spots may exceed 5 inches.
The Weather Prediction Center indicated that the threat of severe wind and flash flooding will remain elevated through Friday, particularly for major cities such as Chicago, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.